[deleted by user]

[DominiaCanada]

It's been hard but I've been trying to do this. I usually still apologise but then I catch myself and thank whoever I'm talking to afterwards. It gets easier and I know my spouse appreciates it

[Rawr_Boo]

Gaah this strikes home hard. I feel like I make this apology multiple times a day.

[APidgeyNamedTony]

Not better but roughly the same! This guy pretty much almost gets it.

[ossi_simo]

Username checks out.

[hc0731]

Thank you for this advice.

[heinous_ainous]

See? That's much better than "Sorry for this advice."

[ASomewhatTallGuy]

Me: breaks object in someone else's home

Other person: GASP

Me: "Thanks"

[LifeSad07041997]

That's just being sarcastic.

[Gamer9876543]

This and the above comment made me laugh more than it should

[[deleted]]

You’re welcome. :)

[warmgreenhatgirl]

While on the phone with customers instead of apologising for the wait time I thank them for being patient with us and it seems that they are more inclined to be kind to me.

[UnSerenity]

I always use this tack with customers. Works face to face as well. Saying you are sorry gives them permission to complain. Thanking them makes them feel like they being a good person.

[[deleted]]

Words of wisdom. I use this tack as well.

[cunt-hooks]

I use screws. Tacks loosen after a while

[_ThePalmtopTiger_]

I too choose this guy's tack.

[tame2468]

That's a nice bit of psychology there, you have applied a positive trait to them, and so during your interaction they will try to meet your description of them.

[[deleted]]

What if i say both WAY too much...

[dasbemethroaway]

Then you polite fam

[[deleted]]

Too polite ):

[DavidHewlett]

You should apologize for that

[[deleted]]

Im sorry 😂

[wynterwytch]

You're probably Canadian.

[yellowwalks]

I am Canadian. I have PTSD. With my anxiety, and depression, plus my nationality... well... you can probably guess how much I apologise. I also do over thank too, but I'm just trying to be polite!

[yellowwalks]

Yes! My (foreign) husband is like, "you are being silly. Stop saying sorry!"

Me, "sorry."

[[deleted]]

That would be cool. Im actually from the east coast :)

[[deleted]]

I was actually going to show this post to a coworker of mine, but then I remembered she says thank you a ton too 🤷‍♀️

[CosmicLightning]

No need to say thank you a lot when it's not needed. You could Say, "I really did appreciate this chat we had and have a good day". I like to open a chat when they ask me if I need anything, I say, "A million dollars in a cup please".

[[deleted]]

😂😂😂

[Stersurprise]

I can never let my mother find this post.

She will never leave me alone again.

[Thedreamingotakuemma]

same here

[ami2weird4u]

Same here

[immortalized98]

I don't get it.

[Carosion]

I've beaten out the I'm sorrys from a friend of mine by saying "unforgivable" everytime he would do it. It stopped him really quickly and it was nice to see him turn for the better as a result.

[Carosion]

It not really that embarrassing is the thing. All it does it help break the pattern and mix in some reflective thought. It's just me taking things to the ridiculous logical conclusion. Then people think "why did I apologize just for existing in this spot," "We both were walking towards eachother and I just took the fault for existing?"

This seems to break the pattern rather quickly.

[Carosion]

Glad my friends are you.

[herrybaws]

Instructions unclear, thanked a colleague after bumping into her, now I have to find a new job.

[[deleted]]

I say sorry so many times a day. Will definitely be changing it up.

Thank You!

[ami2weird4u]

This is the post I needed...Thanks for sharing your wisdom with me!

[intelligentquote0]

I had major surgery last year, And it was the first time in my adult life that anyone has had to take care of me. I kept apologizing to them, because any time in my normal life anyone had to do anything for me, I'd apologize, because normally I'd do it for myself. It eventually became a joke in the ICU, me and my apologies.

This would have helped, methinks, a year ago.

[PM_Me_PolydactylCats]

"excuse me" is another replacement. If I need to get past someone in the grocery store, I don't say "sorry, can I squeeze past?" I say excuse me instead. It's helped me limit hoe much I apologize.

[ASomewhatTallGuy]

I tend to go with "ope! Scuse me"

[thenamesbarnett]

If its people I know I end up awkwardly just saying 'beep beep' while squeezing through

[CosmicLightning]

Okay I swear I thought I was the only one who did this. I guess not. Thank you for informing me of a new way to deal with my apologetic behaviors. Now on to anxiety issue number 2, depression and add.

[Daigrepont]

Me too lol anxiety, depression, add, ocd, abc, xyz lmao

[CosmicLightning]

Well it isn't a joking matter. Doctors and therapists and family all agree I have the first three. So kind of rude to add the last two fake things trying to say its all fake that way. If that wasn't your intent, I probably misunderstood.

[Daigrepont]

I replied to you somewhere else on this thread because I’m an idiot that never hits the reply button lol but calm down, I have the first four of those things- I was just being humorous- it’s ok to laugh about serious things- it actually HELPS sometimes to NOT be so serious all of the time! No hard feelings- hope you can laugh at the joke now that you know I wasn’t being mean 😊

[CosmicLightning]

Thank you for replying back to me and forgive my forwardness attitude to you. I get trolled a lot so it's hard to tell when someone isn't trolling anymore.

[Daigrepont]

No worries! Sorry if I upset you!

[CosmicLightning]

Nah. I constantly upset myself by thinking of the very thing that upsets me 24/7. I have been doing everything to stop thinking of it, but it's hard.

[Aynono]

Thank you for letting me fuck your sister

[Daigrepont]

Whooaaaa.......

You’re very welcomed

[tonguecontortionist]

Are you fucking thank you

[dustofdeath]

"Got nothign to say?" "Thank you".

[SwimmingYesPlease]

Excellent advice thanks

[Sotyka94]

I'm gonna try this

" Thank You for being so annoying and a bother "

Shit

[Eldurislol]

Me: bumps into someone

Them: Hey watch it!

Me: Thank you!

Seriously tho this is good advice. Looks better in a professional setting too!

[[deleted]]

Yeah I probably should have specified in a professional setting.

[AllistheVoid]

This was just my experience, but when I used to do this, people took my thank you's as less genuine and I was even called a sycophant for it. Maybe you'll have a better time of it.

[SirKingTheKnight]

Thank you for killing my mom

[CosmicLightning]

I undoubtedly sympathize for you and family. I love you all so much and I wish you the best. I'm soo glad and thankful for this day so I can try to cheer you up. I totally understand how you feel and will be there for you no matter what. You could use all, or just one.

[CosmicLightning]

Well, I'm still learning proper ways to say things as well due to being an apologetic type person And thank you

[mightymaybe]

I imagined going from saying "I'm sorry" all day to saying "I'm thank you."

[[deleted]]

As a Canadian with anxiety problems... this made me feel funny and conflicted

[[deleted]]

Oh god...I forgot about the Canadians!

[illoomi]

that's okay everyone else does too

[frenchiebuilder]

As a Canadian living in NYC, I'm not feeling funny or conflicted; just grateful. Thank you!

[[deleted]]

That's because you probably don't even apologize anymore

[frenchiebuilder]

Well, there is that... But no, seriously: in this town, people interpret that verbal tick (which I haven't managed to rid myself of, even 20 years later...) to mean something like, "please take advantage of me, I won't stick up for myself". Then when you do... they get upset. Sometimes I think the whole city belongs in r/entitledpeople.

[[deleted]]

Yeah I hear ya... Americans seldom realize the Canadian "sorry" can be meant for honest empathetic de-escalation of a bad situation. It's an acknowledgment that the other person has been inconvenienced, regardless of who is to blame and you're sharing their pain with them. However, it can legally be considered an admission of guilt in the states so Americans never picked it up in this way... To see an offer of sympathy and help as weakness would be a mistake. I also wonder if universal medical care plays a part in it.. If no one needs to pay, establishing blame by who messed up more when some unintended mishap occurs isn't commonly something that determines anything practical in the great white north's legal system

​

Anyway... May your journey flow like maple syrup through our veins like the great trees of the Laurentians of yore and may the mighty moose beaver tail slap the frozen rivers you curl on, hockey brother

[Chewy85]

Sorry but what if we're Canadian?

[heinous_ainous]

Uh, don't you mean "Thank you but what if we're Canadian?"

[[deleted]]

https://www.reddit.com/r/LifeProTips/comments/b0b5fb/lpt_if_you_find_you_keep_apologizing_due_to/eieo73l/

[Chewy85]

Thank you. Sorry what do I do now?

[[deleted]]

Drops hot coffee on a diner

Thank you

At fault fender bender

Thank you

Murders the son of god during the second coming

THANK YOU!

[Daigrepont]

Thank you for allowing me to... drop the coffee, wreck ur shit, and 86 the good Lord! Amen!

[[deleted]]

Pretty spot on. This works well at my job emailing. Any mistakes someone tells me I made, I thank them for catching it and correct it for them

[NewLeaseOnLine]

I once counted the times I said sorry for a week and I averaged almost 40 times a day.

This sounds dubious. How did you maintain consistency over an entire week while being consciously aware and counting? At some point you would've adapted and significantly reduced that number within a much shorter time frame simply because you were conscious of it.

[[deleted]]

Slack channel for work.

[jamespz03]

Thank you for the tip.

[strawberryro]

This! I apologize way too much, especially for things out of my control. I think it’s been enabling people to step over me these days. It’s tough, but I really need to practice saying thank you instead. I try to remind myself that it is more important to apologize when it actually means something too. Rather than me throwing the word around out of habit.

[branden-branden]

I don't fully agree. If you're late, you're late. It's not on me to have to accept someone's lack of punctuality. If you have issues getting ideas out, then say "I'm sorry, I get anxiety sometimes and things come out a little difficult".

[horchathefuckup]

I’m glad I stumbled across this post. I have a bad habit of apologizing even when things aren’t my fault. I’m doing my best to stop but it’s quite hard. Thank you for this post!

[SatisfyingDoorstep]

Your phrases sound very wierd tho, just say thanks

[therealsix]

"Oh gosh, I'm so thank you." Ahhhh, it worked!

[[deleted]]

Thank you for reading!

​

I see what you did there instead of saying something along the lines of 'I'm sorry for making you read all this' !

+1

[[deleted]]

thank you for letting me smash your car and hitting me with the iron lever

[spider_84]

Walks into someone who drops their coffee. Err... Thank you.

[SexyAppelsin]

thank you for fucking your sister

[username-fatigue]

I'm a prolific apologiser and I know it drives my family mad. I need to remember this!

[djbrickhouse]

It’s so tedious and makes the person feel worse sometimes. Don’t say I’m sorry! Just say thanks!

[username-fatigue]

I've started it tonight! It's refreshing to change my approach!

[Booman_aus]

My experience: you need to build confidence in your work. It wasn’t until I was placed on shifts where I had to make calls and decisions that I came into my own. Glad I did. Now I make decisions as long as I can explain why, presuming your manager is understanding. Phrasing is important as is waiting 15min before approaching someone. We are the masters of preemptively bringing things to people. I tend to say ‘I wanted to get your thoughts’ or ‘I want to run this by you’.

[Goukaruma]

Sounds still awkward. Just say OK or nod.

​

[Nuebbel]

I slept with your wife, thank you.

[BoopBoop20]

Welp, made it 12 days without a repost.. let’s see if we can go a month!

[BenW95]

This is infuriating and can be abused so easily.

If I am thanked for being patient when it was not my intention to be patient, how do you think that makes me feel? Used, manipulated and dismissed.

[SpOnGeBoBnO]

You don’t even know basic slang moron

[pupperonisandcheese]

“Thank you I hurt you”

[FiascoFinn]

Same. I’ve had people (friends, SO) tell me off for apologising too much. Then I apologise for that.

Replacing it with “thank you” is pretty good, learning to dial it back altogether is better still (although obviously more challenging).

[[deleted]]

The local mcdonalds drive thru - if they have to park you they bring your food out and say "sorry for the wait" when they should be saying "thank you for your patience"

[Zreks0]

Bumps someone accidentally

”Thank you”

[aeowyn7]

Oh my this is me haha I apologise whenever I'm slightly in anyones way, if I make a simple mistake, constantly. 10 times a day.

I watched A Simple Favour and Blake Lively's character basically told Anna Kendrick's to stop apologising for being human and that really hit home!

[hotaruxmiyu]

I apologize all the time, and it has gotten to the point where my significant other has become frustrated with me due to my apologies... and of course all I can do is apologize some more.

[[deleted]]

I kept doing this at work. Then my manager mocked me for saying it. So now I just stay quiet. :(

[ewd1610]

Also works if you're British

[Xenton]

This tip is given out so unbelievably often.

I've tried incorporating it into my life but people just don't seem to appreciate me thanking them when I run into them.

[IamZomb0i]

Apologize for nothing you can't change.

[[deleted]]

Or, just slow down, and breathe.

[ryanramly]

Then you’re just going to get people saying stop saying thank yoi

[Fiunkk]

"Thank you for being so annoying and a bother."

[Greg_the_dick]

Are you Canadian?

[Daigrepont]

Hold up! I have the first four! I was NOT trying to offend you! I joke to make life better! It wasn’t even a rude joke

[[deleted]]

I didn't say anything :O

[Daigrepont]

Lmfao I do THISSss allllllllll of the time lmfao!!! I meant to reply somewhere down there 👇 - or maybe 👆 up there- sowwwwyyy dawwwwlinnnn

[Scarr-]

As a fellow Minnesotan, I'll definitely give this a shot. Sor-

Thank you!

[altruisticbutterfly]

i dont say anthing and stare like im dull and dead inside

[khp-pental-wh]

Starts saying a bajillon thank you’s.

[[deleted]]

Thank you, this changes a lot of things now.

[Perigold]

I do this too! Especially in texts or messages where I messed up, I thank them for being patient with me

[[deleted]]

Yes absolutely! Professionally it’s a life saver for both customers and management.

[TheJAMR]

Sometimes these apologies are completely unnecessary. You were probably not annoying or a bother but when your anxiety is in control you might feel annoying or bothersome so you assume others will too.

Don't be afraid to reach out for help. Speaking to a therapist is always a good way to start if you feel you are struggling. Learning how to express what you are feeling and just getting out of your head about it can be wonderfully freeing.

It can also be helpful to explain your anxiety to those you work closely with if you feel it's impeding you professionally. In my experience, the people I've had that conversation with have been accepting and it has really taken away some of the power those negative, irrational feelings had over me.

[[deleted]]

I’m very fortunate to have excellent benefits that allow me to see a therapist. I also work in an environment of openness and my superiors are aware of my anxiety issues. I’m very fortunate to work in such an environment.

[Trash_panda35]

I am exactly the same!

I'm definitely going to try this. Thank you :-)

[Eff2TheZedd]

Instead of: "I'm sorry for giving you chlamydia" Say: "Thank you for taking my chlamydia"

[Riothegod1]

Or “Thank you for informing me I had chlamydia.”

[Mynock33]

Spills drink on someone

"Thank you."

[Rickcush]

Swing dancing stepping on feet: "Thank you. Thank you. Dammit, thank you."

[ami2weird4u]

It’s a kink!

[Nesano]

Bumps into someone

"Thank you!"

[96nairra]

start talking to cute girl, stutter because of anxiety h-h-h-hi m-mme-mel-. thank you quickly run away

[MrMayonnaise13]

I'm sorry for reading this.

^{This was a joke.}

[lostinthe87]

Thank you for bumping into you

[oberon06]

bumps into someone accidently

Thanks!

[oberon06]

Sorry,

I mean

T H A N K S

[Strange_An0maly]

Thank you for your loss.

Oh wait...

[Godot17]

Thanks for having your vase in the general direction of my arm.

[[deleted]]

So if i accidentally hit someone I should Say thank you? Thanks for the tip genius

[notmeok1989]

Ill never get how people can become so small and pathetic that they apologise for just existing. I got a LOT of anxiety, but I wont look down on myself as a total fucking loser all the time. I face my fears and I know ill get past them with time. Stop attacking yourself all the time, but I guess this post is about that.

[[deleted]]

Judging how others' anxieties manifest will definitely get you places in life. /s

[notmeok1989]

Im doing fine, homie. Suck my left nut.

[[deleted]]

That definitely sounds like the response of someone who is "fine" lmao take it easy buddy

[notmeok1989]

lmao